You Were Always There On Hiatus
by Sophia White
Summary: When Hermione has trouble coping with the loss of her family she moves to Grimmauld Place to escape the "family home" of the Burrow. As she returns to Hogwarts for her 7th year, former professor and current housemate, Remus Lupin, joins her; rightfully taking back the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. What will become of the two as they grow closer?
1. Chapter 1

Hermione sat in her room at the Burrow huddled on her bed. Tear tracks streaked her face as she stared out the window into the yard and watched the rain falling down. All the young witch could think about was her parents. She knew that she could never be with her family again. Even though they had won! Most days she could bear through it with a smile engraved on her face, though she always had an under lining of unhappiness in her. Others, like today, she just couldn't pull herself together and wound up lying in bed all day. This had begun to cause problems between her and Ron's fresh relationship. He got frustrated with her a lot due to her depression. He just didn't understand what it was like to have no family to turn to. She understood that he had lost Fred, but he still had many family members to turn to where as Hermione did not. He was easily angered due to his constant foul mood fueled by Hermione's depression. Speaking of Ron, she could hear him fuming down the hallway, and it seems she could hear Harry arguing with him, almost sounding like he was trying to persuade him to change his mind on something.

Her ears perked up to listen in, hearing Harry's voice, "Ron, think about this first. Things are still fresh; you've seen me in the same position. She just needs time."

_She?_

Hermione sat up straight as her door swung open and Ron marched in, followed by Harry making a move to grab his elbow.  
"No Harry," he said with a finalizing tone then turned to the sad witch on the bed, "Hermione, you need to leave. I can't stand you being here anymore! My family is always so sad for you and I'm always pissed off because you're acting so selfish and stupid!"  
Hermione's shattered emotions turned quickly to anger, "I'm acting selfish?!" she screeched, "I. HAVE. NO. FAMILY! If you're too much of a right git to get that, then fuck you, Ronald Weasley!"  
The young girl felt completely out of control of herself as she open-hand slapped Ron across his pale, freckled face, his cheek turning as red as his hair. She 'accio'd' her trunk from their school years and used the wingardium leviosa spell to quickly shut her things in it. She grabbed a handle and started heading for the door, using wandless magic to push them aside. She stormed to the hallway and just as she reached the stairs she felt someone else tug on the other handle of her trunk. She whipped her head back to find Harry watching her with sad eyes.

"Where will you go?" he asked quietly.  
Tears sprung from her eyes again and she choked out, "I don't know." She dropped her side of the trunk, leaving all the weight to an unprepared Harry, as she plopped down onto the stairs. He quickly adjusted and used his wand to shrink the trunk to pocket size. He descended to her level and sat down, pulling his best female friend into his arms.

"Ron is being a right git. He just doesn't understand yet. But he will, Mione. Please stay." Harry rubbed her back as she sobbed into his chest.  
"I don't want him to. Not after this. He will never understand, Harry. He has the emotional range of a teaspoon," she repeated a quote from her 5th year, "I can't stay here Harry. The whole family just makes me miss my own."

This gave Harry an idea, "let me floo over to Grimmauld Place. I'm sure Sirius and Remus would be more than happy to have you stay with them. They need a woman's touch around that house," Harry joked, trying to lighten her spirits.

At first, Hermione declined, but after some convincing and Ron bumbling into the staircase she decided it was for the better. As Harry popped over the rest of the Weasley's in the home came out of their respective areas to see what the ruckus was. Molly stopped short of the stairs seeing a distraught Hermione and a fuming Ron.

"What is going on in here?" she asked, looking behind the former couple to her only daughter, Ginny, who also had inquired to the commotion as well. Ginny shrugged and looked pointedly at her brother and assumed sister-in-law, then noticed the small trunk sitting by Hermione's feet on the stairs.  
"Are you leaving, Mione?" she quickly asked.  
Hermione lowered her head and softly said, "Yes. I may be going to stay at Grimmauld Place. Harry's talking to Sirius right now."  
"But why, dear?" Molly continued for information.

Hermione looked Ronald straight in the eye as she spoke, "it seems Ronald doesn't want me here anymore. Says I've become a bother to everyone."  
Molly and Ginny both looked taken aback and both rushed to change her mind while scolding Ron for saying such ridiculous accusations. Hermione, though, raised her hand in request for silence and the stage.  
"It's okay. I understand. Things are a little uneasy for me here anyways. I just miss my parents, and seeing your family everywhere here is just a little hard for me. It'll be easier there," she reassured them.  
Molly seemed to understand, saying, "alright dear, well if you need anything at all or just want to pop in you know you're free to do so. And I'll be expecting you here with those boys here every other Sunday for lunch, like always."  
"Of course," Hermione smiled and nodded to both women.  
Harry returned, bringing good news that Remus and Sirius had no problem and even had began preparing a room for her.  
"They said you're welcome to go over at any time and get acquainted with the place while they restore one of the unused bedrooms. It should only take a little while," Harry finished with.  
"Thank you, Harry. I'll go now. Have a good day, you all," Hermione hugged Harry, then waved goodbye to the rest of the Weasley clan before grabbing a handful of floo powder and disappeared to Grimmauld Place; House of Black. She stepped forth from the green flames of the fireplace and took in her surroundings. Last she had seen it; it had been the main location of the Order of the Phoenix. Now, it was just a house. An old family house. A home where two best friends lived.

"And I'm intruding…" she accidentally said aloud the thought that just forced its way to the front of her mind.  
"What was that, Ms. Granger?" Remus startled the young witch as he appeared at the top of the stairs holding a bundle of various items in his arms.  
"Oh! Professor, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked to stay here. I'm intruding and bothering you and Sirius. I'm so sorry to have tried to burden you bo-" she began to ramble her apologies, but was stopped by a hearty laugh from her best friends Godfather, Sirius Black.  
"Hermione, don't you even worry about any of that. We'll make good use of you," he winked in joking flirtation at the innuendo in his words.  
"Ex-excuse me?" Hermione was slightly taken aback.  
"I'm sorry, Ms. Granger, you'll have to excuse my friend. He's quite intoxicated and what he means is, naturally, you'll be sharing household chores. Nothing more," Remus assured.  
Hermione let out a small breathy laugh.  
"If you'd like to explore the house we'll just be a few moments longer preparing your room." Her former professor smiled down to her, which she returned.

Hermione walked down one corridor opening a few doors here and there, finding unused bedrooms, storage rooms, and many other odd rooms scattered about. She found a door toward the end of the hallway that looked more ornate than the others. A different type of wood and a sleek long door handle. Intrigued, the curious witch opened the door and gasped in surprise as a large study opened before her, filled with a home library of books. She smiled and began running her fingers over the tomes. After a few minutes of title searching, she settled on a large hard-bound book about Arithmancy number charts. She found a spot on the couch to the far end of the library in front of a large window. Around 15 pages into the book she heard a knock on the door, startling her out of her thoughts.  
"I thought I'd find you in here, Ms. Granger. Always seeking more knowledge," Remus chuckled.  
"I'm sorry, Professor. And please, you can call me Hermione," the young girl smiled and stood, placing the book back on the shelf where she had found it.  
"I will, Hermione. And please, call me Remus."  
Hermione nodded in agreement and Remus motioned for her to follow him to her room.

After Hermione packed her clothes away into the dresser and set up a few personal belongings around the room she laid her quilt on her bed and just stared around her new living quarters. It felt odd, to be somewhere so unfamiliar in such a harsh time in her life. She sat on the bed and pondered what to do next when she heard a knock on the door.  
"Come in," she stated loudly.  
Remus poked his head into the room and smiled at seeing how she had added personal belongings.  
"I just made some fresh tea if you'd like to join us downstairs," he offered.  
Hermione gratefully accepted the invitation and followed Remus to the library where Sirius was already laying comfortably sprawled across one couch.  
"You sure look comfy," the girl joked, tapping his foot as she passed him to one of the armchairs by the fireplace. Remus sat in the chair next to Hermione, across from Sirius and poured their new housemate a cup of tea.  
Hermione graciously took the warm cup and plate from him, "I don't want either of you to act differently because I'm here. Just go on like normal, I want to stay out of your way. I refuse to be bother here, too."  
"Hermione, if we thought you were a bother we wouldn't have let you stay here. We are quite happy you're here," Sirius sat up and looked the witch in the eyes.  
"And I hope you don't believe what Ronald said," Remus added, "you were never bothering anyone."  
A small smile slowly creeped onto Hermione's lips, "thank you, both. For everything."


	2. Chapter 2

A few weeks passed and Hermione was becoming more accustomed to living with the two men at 12 Grimmauld Place. She often found her nights wrapped up in a book or enjoying time cooking with her housemates in the kitchen. The witch would have thought living with two men in their late 30's would have been a more mature situation but it was quite the contrary. Not that she was complaining at all; she actually enjoyed the two men. It was fun to watch them be playful with each other. Their love for each other is really expressed when they're together.  
That night Hermione was prepping a lemonade pie while Sirius slid a pan of pork chops into the oven and Remus stirred a pan of alfredo pasta. Sirius snuck up behind Remus and dipped his finger in the pan to get some sauce, then stuck it in his mouth and shuffled away. Remus began to call after him calling him a 'mangy mut' and accusing him of always 'begging for scraps'. He stopped when he noticed Hermione giggling from the other side of the kitchen.  
"Is something funny, Ms. Granger?" he asked in a mock-teacher tone, pointing his stirring spoon at her accusingly.  
"Oh no, Professor. I haven't the slightest clue of what you mean!" she played along, replying in a falsely innocent tone.  
"That'll be 10 points from Gryffindor!" He boomed.  
They then began to laugh in hysterical fits as Sirius rejoined them.

After the food was ready Hermione made a quick salad for everyone to enjoy with their pork chops and alfredo pasta. They all tucked in almost instantly and the room was silent until they were at least half-way through with their plates.  
"So, Hermione," Sirius was the first to speak, "have you considered going back to Hogwarts to finish your 7th year?"  
"I have actually, and I do plan to go back. I had spoken with Professor McGonagall about it so I should get a letter soon," Hermione replied proudly.  
" I also had spoken to Professor McGonagall the other day," Remus pointed out.  
"Oh did you, Moony? Please share," Sirius pressed in a light manner.  
"She offered me my old job as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," he tried to suppress a proud grin from splitting his face, but he couldn't.  
"Congratulations Professor!" Hermione smiled at Remus.  
"Thank you, dear," he looked pointedly at her.

Sirius on the other hand looked a bit disappointed.  
"What's wrong, Padfoot?" Remus's expression grew concerned for his best mate.  
"Nothing, I'm happy for you," he plastered a fake grin on his face.  
"You can't fool me, old friend."  
"I just don't look forward to being holed up in this house alone while not one, but both of you go off for the majority of the year," the animagus pouted.  
Hermione looked at Remus, her eyes full of questions. She stood and climbed onto the table to comfort Sirius. She stretched, holding herself steady by hooking her knee over the edge of the table while she wrapped her arms around the man's shoulders. When she nuzzled her face in Sirius's hair Remus caught himself looking over her stretched and taut young body. How her leg muscles were defined by their current usage and her already short shirt rode up to reveal her flat, tanned stomach. And the way her short shorts gripped her silky thighs. Remus shook his head to rid himself of these thoughts, damned if he would have such perverse thoughts about a girl, a friend, half his age.

Hermione pulled from Sirius, "I'll talk to McGonagall about coming home on the weekends via floo when I can and we'll be here every holiday," she assured him.  
Remus smiled at her compassion and caring for his best friend.  
Sirius tickled the young witch, causing her leg to let go of the table and he pulled her bridal style into his lap and kissed her forhead, emitting a squeak from Hermione.  
"Why can't you be more like her, Moony?" Sirius teased.  
Remus rolled his eyes and picked up everyone's plates, heading for the sink.  
"Ooh, I'll distribute the pie!" Hermione jumped out of Sirius' lap and dancing to the freezer.

The following week Hermione received her letter informing her of what books and items to get for the following school year and she enlisted the men in accompanying her to Diagon Alley to pick up said supplies. Remus and Hermione first explored Flourish & Blotts for her text books and a few various items for the library and personal collections. Afterwards, Madam Malkin's was the stop for robes since Hermione's robes had disappeared at some point during the war, then Ollivander's for a new wand. She'd be damned if she had to used Bellatrix LeStrange's wand any longer.  
After a few more stops the trio ended up at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour to relax before they headed home. Hermione decided to take a shower following their return and the men agreed to make lunch.

Hermione relaxed in the cool bathwater, letting it soak her skin as her vanilla shampoo embedded it's scent into each strand of her hair. She closed her eyes and began running her hands over her thighs, pulling them over her stomach and landing on the peaks of her breasts before moving them back down and sending them more toward the warm center between her legs. She found a rhythm at which he physically sunk deeper into the water to mask the soft moans coming from her lips as she continued to play with the small nub just above her intimate slit. She closed her eyes and the pressure building in her abdomen swelled as pictures of her roommates involuntarily flashed across her mind. At first it was just flashes of their faces, then more intricate tales enveloped her mind as she could almost feel Sirius's hands roam her body while she leaned back onto Remus's chest and he fondled her breasts. Hermione felt an electric surge shoot from her hipbone and up her back to rest just behind her ear where in her mind, Remus was whispering naughty promises. Hermione pushed herself out of the water upon reaching her climax, letting out a low, breathy moan that seemed to echo so loudly in the large, open bathroom. She looked around, half expecting the two men to be in there watching her knowingly. But when her eyes met no one she allowed a half-smile to grace her features and she relaxed back into the water. Only then did the man on the other side of the door decide to knock, making Hermione scream in her startled and embaressed state.

"Everything okay, Mione?" Sirius called.  
"Y-yes Sirius, I'll be out momentarily," Hermione called, dipping her head in the water to rinse out her shampoo.

After a quick rinse Hermione climbed from the tub and toweled off, using a second towel to dry her hair, throwing it into a clothes hamper after use. With the first towel wrapped securely around her small frame she exited the bathroom only to run into Sirius who had apparently still been on the other side of the door. This cause her to squeak and almost lose her hold on the towel.

"Oh Merlin, Sirius, you scared me!" she let out a nervous laugh, knowing her face was still flushed from her solo act in the tub.  
"My my, Mione, you were making some very interesting sounds during your bath," he teased, leaning on the door, making Hermione feel cornered.  
"I-I was quite enjoying the water t-temperature," she replied lamely, stammering and brain blocked by her own embarrassment.  
He leaned in closer, his face mere inched from hers as his gray eyes called out the lie from her deep brown ones.  
"I-I'm going to have lunch," she ducked under his arm and bolted down the hall to her room.

When safe, Hermione slammed the door and leaned back on it, sighing in relief.

_'Could he tell? Does he know? Did he hear her?' _she wondered.  
_'Maybe, no way, and probably!'_ She answered herself.  
The young witch laid her head in her hands and instantly all those images came rushing back. After a moment she thought, _'what the hell? They're just in my head,'_ and climbed onto her bed, sliding under the covers.

Remus was finishing up his sandwich when he heard a door slam. His sensitive hearing picked up a faint chuckle and assumed that to be his best pal, Sirius; leaving the door slamming to Hermione. He shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat, staring at the looming date on their lunar calendar saying the full moon was in 3 days. He could feel it; feel Moony pacing under his skin, ready to come out for his one night of the month where he gets to roam free. All of a sudden a faint scent filled the air. Remus sniffed and immediately stiffened. It was a heady musk; a very distinct scent. R.J. Lupin's head whipped to stare intently at Hermione's bedroom door.


	3. Chapter 3

Auther's Note: Hey everyone, I am SO sorry for the late update! My life got pretty stressful for a little bit there. But I'm still writing, I promise Here's the newest addition to You Were Always There, and thank you so much for being patient with me! I love you all and always welcome feedback. 3

-Sophia White  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The DADA teacher's heightened wolf-nose was indeed picking up on the result of Hermione's self-fulfillment. He immediately felt heat rising to his flushed cheeks as he tried extremely hard to focus on anything but that. He finished preparing a sandwich for the girl he couldn't get his perverted old mind off of and used his wand to help quicken the speed of his clean up. Since Hermione had moved in she had influenced the men to not use magic while cooking, claiming it was "the Muggle-version of potion making." Remus found this rather humorous but obliged to the young girl's attempt to keep a part of her Muggle heritage. Remus shook his head trying to rid all thought of the young woman from his mind.  
_  
"This is not the time to think of her,"_he chastised himself.

After his speedy clean up, he climbed the stairs to his room where he took a shower and dressed in dark brown lounge pants and left his torso bare. He shaved in the bathroom and then proceeded to brush his teeth. After this, he stared at himself in the mirror, taking note of every scar stretched across his face and chest. He lingered when his eyes met themselves in the reflection. He almost laughed at the ridiculous thought of Hermione Granger, brightest witch of her age (and Merlin, was her age young), turning lustful eyes upon him. The werewolf turned his head to look out of the window on the far side of the bathroom. Because he took such a long shower, the sky had already begun to darken and the moon was rising steadily. He stared at his worst enemy and biggest fear. The object that tore his body and soul into two; that cause him to become the furthest thing from himself- a murderous beast. He briefly wondered if his transformations would be worst, or would need more supervision with Hermione in the house. At this thought, he crinkled his eyebrows and pushed from the sink, still staring at the faint moon. A low growl rippled from his chest at the thought of anyone, including himself, hurting her. He tampered the wolf inside him down though and chuckled, trying to throw himself off this strange possessive thought that had taken hold of him. He decided to join his two housemates in the kitchen after adding a thin white shirt to his attire.

"Good evening, you two," he beamed as he entered the kitchen. The sight before him was slightly off-putting, though. Sirius was shirtless and wearing a pair of tight pants, propped up against the fridge in front of Hermione who was sitting atop the counters. Sirius had been leaning closer to Hermione and speaking in a lower tone, a flirtatious look etched in his face, and Hermione's head was thrown back in a laugh. "Oh- hi, Remus," Hermione gasped, and Remus caught a strange look in Hermione's eyes, even though they never reached any higher than his neck.  
"Good evening, Moony!" his best mate, Padfoot, turned from the beautiful young witch before him and winked to his friend.  
"And what, dare I ask, are you two discussing?" Remus asked in a light tone, cracking open a butterbeer he pulled from the fridge.  
"Oh, just how the two of us are going to sweep Miss Granger of her two deliciously long legs and have our way with her tonight," Sirius clapped his friend on the shoulder as he crossed the room to him. Remus immediately choked on his swig of beverage and began coughing, "Wh-what?" he sputtered. Hermione began to laugh uncontrollably, actually falling off the counters, barely landing on her feet before her knees hit and she fell back against the counters. Sirius chuckled and turned to leave the room, all the while Remus jumped forward to help Hermione up.  
"Are you alright?" He asked, still holding one of her hands in his and his other wrapped around her waist. Hermione blushed, "Yes, thank you. What Sirius means is he wants us all going dancing at the club tonight. But I'm not feeling up to it," she called after the younger man.  
"Well why not?" Remus asked her.  
"Eh, I was wanting to stay in. I wanna get started on my school reading," she smiled, subconsciously twirling a piece of hair around her finger.  
"Always studying," Remus laughed, making Hermione blush harder. Sirius soon came back down the stairs and asked Remus to join him in a game of wizard's chess.

The game lasted around an hour and a half, putting the time now almost half-past eight. Sirius mentioned going out to the bar and Remus politely declined. The younger man disappeared up the stairs and Moony dipped his head into a nearby copy of the Daily Prophet. Soon afterwards Sirius re-appeared, dressed in dark form-fitting jeans and a button-down crimson silk shirt. Following closely behind was Hermione, dressed in a pair of jean shorts and plain black tank top. She smiled at Remus, "Are you not joining us?"  
"I'm alright," he replied, not slightly annoyed with his friend, "being around groups of people this close to the full moon makes me agitated."  
"Are you sure you don't want company?" Hermione offered, taking a second-thought look back at Sirius. "I'm quite sure. You two have fun," he gave a reassuring smile then turned back to his newspaper.  
Hermione hesitated before taking the arm Sirius presented for her and following him out the door. The animagus stuck out his thumb and soon they saw the Knight Bus making its way hurriedly down the street. The bar was a little awkward. After repeatedly shutting down Sirius's "joking" advances he decided to peruse the crowd. Left to her own devices, Hermione felt attacked by the multiple drinks the bartenders offered her on behalf of some gentleman around the bar counter. The witch, always polite, drank them timidly. The downside was that after accepting the drink the men would come over to talk. After accumulating four men around her, being too polite to wave them off, Sirius made his way back to her with a young blonde girl only barely older than Hermione. Being a very blunt individual, he had no problem telling the men to shove off, instantly becoming the mildly drunk girl's savior.  
Thank you, Sssiriuss," Hermione slurred, taking the man's offered hand to help her to her feet.  
The other girl didn't seem to mind, in her own drunken state. Sirius apparated the three of them to stand- stumble really, in front of 12 Grimmauld Place. Hermione led the way, taking out her wand and wave it so the two buildings would shift and move to make the door of their house appear. She stumbled toward the door and opened it for them all. She dismissed herself for bed and climbed the stairs, turning to the left and disappeared into her room. Once there she plopped down on the bed and closed her eyes. She sighed a few minutes later when she found she was not drifting off to sleep.  
_  
'Maybe it's because I'm not comfy,'_ she decided, climbing off her bed and pulling out a white tank top and pair of thin red cloth shorts. She changed out of the tank and shorts she wore to the bar, letting her bra go with the garments to her clothes hamper. She pulled back the large comforter on her bed and climbed beneath the sheets. She sunk a little lower into her soft bed and pillow and almost felt herself melt into a dream world. But before she reached that kind of peace she heard the sounds of Sirius and his lady friend having "fun". She tossed and turned but could not sleep through the ruckus a few rooms down. Sighing in resignation she climbed from her bed, and slipped on a red night-robe, leaving it open. She decided to seek out the Arithmancy book in the library since she hasn't taken the time to continue reading it yet. She made her way down the stairs and toward that large door she became acquainted with her first day there. After the two left Remus tried to sleep, unsuccessfully. He ended up getting out of bed and made a snack, afterwards retiring to the library. He had bought a copy of 'Advanced Defenses Against the Dark Arts', the textbook he would be teaching over, while they were in Diagon Alley and he was hoping to get through it before the term started. He dug his head as far into the book as physically possible, but around page 163, or eleven pm, Remus sensed someone had entered the room. He looked over the top of his book and froze when he saw Hermione. Her hair was a mess, and her clothes hung lop-sided on her body, her robe sliding off one shoulder. She didn't seem to notice him at first, rubbing her eyes, not expecting the light to be on.  
"Oh- hi Remus," she smiled lazily, removing her hand from her face and sauntering toward the couch he sat on.  
"Evening, 'Mione," he sat up, pulling his feet under him in a criss-cross style and placing the book in his lap.  
Hermione flopped down on the couch and her head lulled to the side. Her eyes fluttered to look up at the werewolf and the lazily smile returned, a blush not far behind.  
"Hi Remus," she giggled, hiccupping, causing her to giggle again.  
"Her-hermione, are you drunk?" he lifted her chin to direct her attention to his eyes.  
Her expression became alarmed, "yes, is that bad?"  
"N-no, I guess not. I mean, you're a grown woman," he tried to reassure her.  
Her face seemed to relax, but then a dark haze seemed to move into her honey colored eyes.  
"Yes I am, Remus," she whispered.  
"Hermione-" he began, trying to defuse the tension he was beginning to feel due to the close proximity of his young, magical friend.  
"Remus," she cut him off," I'm tired."  
Hermione leaned forward and kissed Remus on his jaw, not quite reaching the cheek she had aimed for, then moved the book in his lap to lay on his chest. Remus stretched his legs out to one side and allowed the witch to lay next to him, leaning on his chest. He sighed and gently moved hair from her gentle face, smiling and kissing the top of her head. He swung his arm around her protectively, while holding his book in his lap to continue reading.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey everyone, I'm so sorry this took so long, and I know it's short. But bare with me. I wish I could say I got busy, and to some degree I did, but the majority of my wasted time lately has been the result of a new pairing I recently discovered I like. And therefore, I got writer's block with our dear Remus. I'm sorry my lovelies. This is mainly a filler chapter, I've been so nervous about writing about Hogwarts so I think I've subconciously been putting it off. But, I'm going to start working on it today, cause luckily I can write in my phone and collaborate that with my computer to post for all of you wonderful people who share this obsession with me. Well I'll leave you to your reading now, please review and rate-that really keeps me going and re-builds my excitement for this story every time I read them. Thanks everyone!**  
** ~Sophia White**

Hermione awoke the next day alone in the library, a certain professor's coat draped across her legs where her robe didn't quite reach. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, sitting up to stretch. A steady steam of memories from the night before made their way to the front of her throbbing head. She sighed heavily and decided she needed coffee, pulling herself to her feet and making her way to the kitchen.

Upon entering she first noticed Sirius, one eyebrow raised at her, mid-sip of his own cup of brew.

"Yes?" Hermione asked, pausing momentarily under his scrutiny, then pulling a cup from the cupboard and began to pour hot dark coffee into it.

"If I do recall, Remus was walking out of that very same library you came in from," Sirius wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, looking up from the cup poised at his lips, "care to share something?"  
She looked pointedly at Sirius, then rolled her eyes, adding cream and sugar to her mug and joining him at the table, "yes, I do. You have a very wonderful friend that granted me company and did not try to take advantage of me in my inhebriated state,"  
"How boring, "he jokingly rolled his eyes.  
Hermione scoffed, adding cream and sugar cubes to her beverage, "you could learn something from him, you know?"  
"Yeah, how to be a boring, old git," Sirius murmured.

Hermione chuckled, joining her best-friend's Godfather at the table, "nothing happened, just accept it."

"Oh sure, just like nothing happened in the tub the other week," he stated lowly, yet Hermione still heard and proceeded to choke on her hot beverage.

"Wh-what did you say?" She sputtered, using a quick 'scorgify' to clean herself off.

"Nothing, dear," he chuckled, noticing Hermione's blush.

"Accio Practical Arithmancy," she summoned the library book and dug her face into the pages, causing Sirius to laugh.

'Today's August 31st,' she reminded herself, looking for any excuse to avoid the older man that day. After Sirius' failed attempts at conversation with the embarrassed teenager he retired to his room to shower. Hermione soon made her way to her room to pack her trunk full of clothes and books and school supplies. She decided to do this the muggle way to make more time pass, but when she finished she decided to run to Diagon Alley for quills and ink jars. It was about 6 pm and after a strong debate with herself she reluctantly decided to invite Sirius, thinking solely of the fact that the store she's visiting is next to the ominous Nocturn Alley. She changed into a pair of light blue jean cut-offs and a tank with an open, flowing cardigan, made her way to Sirius' bedroom door, and knocked.

The two returned shortly after and settled into the kitchen for dinner. Moony sent a letter via owl to inform them he wouldn't be able to join them. After making a simple meal of lasagna and garlic bread they sat at the table where Sirius decided to drill the young w witch on her life before magic.

"So, where did you buy ink and quills in the Muggle-world?" was his first question.  
"Well, we don't use ink and quills in the Muggle-world. We use what is called a pen," she had just finished her sentence when Sirius oushed further.  
"What's a pen?"  
"It's like a quill and ink almost, but think of the quill as smaller, with no feather, and the ink is inside."  
Sirius just stared at her now, a confused look set in his features.  
Hermione sighed and pushed from her plate, half-way, gone at the table, "I'll be right back."

She returned with a small handful of pens in her hand and handed one to Sirius, "this is a pen."  
Sirius moved the muggle writing tool around in his hands, clicking the bottom to push the pen-head out, then clicking it to make it disappear again. He then focused on the inscription on the pen, the same thing Hermione couldn't pull her eyes away from. In hand-written script the side of the pen read, "Granger Dentistry" followed by an address and phone number.

"Your parents?" he asked absent-mindedly.

"Yes," her voice was small when she replied, causing Sirius to look up at the girl and find tears brimming in her eyes.  
"Hermione?" the older man asked for her attention.  
Hermione looked up.  
"We're going to find a way to restore their memory and reunite your family," his voice was stern, no room for argument.  
Hermione nodded, but the tears then began to fall freely from her eyes.  
Sirius moved around the table and sat next to the young witch. She let him pull her so that she was crying into his chest. He rubbed her back and let her grip his and cry. This girl was hurting. Far more then she'd ever likely to show in front of everyone. After a few more moments of this Sirius picked up the now shaking Hermione and carried her to her bed.  
"But I have to clean-up the kitchen," she protested weakly, as he tucked her into the covers.  
"I'll do it, love. You start school tomorrow, "Sirius chuckled, winked, and kissed her forhead before leaving the room.


	5. Chapter 5

[A/N: I am SO sorry for the late update. I know I posted saying I'd have it up lat week but I ended up losing my electricity for a few days with no way to charge my laptop. :/ Again, I'm sorry my lovlies. But I have written a longer chapter in hopes to make up for it.  
Sincerely, Sophia White.]

Hermione awoke the next morning and immediately began packing a few last minute items, her emotions from last night flooding in to effect her today. When she finished she used a "Leviosa" charm to move her trunk to the front entrance hall then headed for the kitchen.

Sirius greeted her with a cup of coffee, the way he had found she liked it, and a bit overly cheerful tone, "Morning, 'Mione. Ready for your first day as a seventh year?"

She took the cup, eyeing him suspiciously, and asked, "Are you going to make fun of me?"

"Oh come on, you're just so young! I'm just playing. You know, some say I have a fun and free nature about me, like a dog," he smirked, winking at the girl.

"I am not even going to justify that with a response," she giggled.

"Ah, but you just did, darling," Sirius smiled at the girl and hurried off to the door when the bell went off.

When he returned to the kitchen he had his godson, her best friend, under his arm.

"What're you doing here, Harry?" she asked with a cheery tone, moving in for a hug.

"You're not the only one going back to school, silly," he smiled as he pulled from their embrace.

At this she tightened up, "who else is outside?"

"Oh you know, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Ginny... and Ron?" he ended it in a question in order to brace the impact and gauge her reaction at the same time. They had barely talked since she moved into Grimmauld Place and he wasn't sure how she was feeling on the situation.

"Oh, well I can take the Knight Bus to the station, thanks Harry," to this she turned to walk off.

But Harry held her firm, "come on. He's really sorry for being so insensitive and he wants to make it up to you."

"Fine, I'll ride with you, but I don't want him to make anything up to me. I want him to treat me a he did from second year to sixth year. Is that understood?"

"By me, yes. You might wanna tell him that though. In the car."

"I will," she assured him and went off to shrink her trunk in the hall.

She gave a teary goodbye to Sirius and promised to return a soon as possible before following Harry to the car.

Ginny and Molly gave very cheery hellos and Arthur nodded with a bright smile. But Ron looked sheepishly at her. Hermione nodded once with a solemn look on her face and climbed in.

The train ride to the school was painful. After Ron apologized, Hermione gratefully accepted it but informed him that she no longer wanted to be more-than-friends. This angered Ron, who ended up walking out of the compartment and not returning till they arrived, leaving the compartment with a thick tension the whole way.

Things at Hogwarts were obviously changing this year. With the majority of an entire year of students returning some changes had to be made. The 'Eighth Years' as they were deemed would be staying in a new tower erected for the situation. To accommodate all of the new and returning students there would be no 'double classes' this year, much to the enjoyment of some. But the most interesting of all the changes was that the Eighth Years were no longer held in a 'house'. When discussing the matter in their lengthy admittance letters Headmistress McGonagall mentioned her raised expectancy of good behavior in the older students, saying that considering what they had all just survived they should all be able to set aside petty house wars.

Upon their arrival Ron immediately started for the tower, leaving Harry, Hermione, and Ginny to walk and talk at a more leisurely pace. Though when they reached the tower Hermione immediately headed for her dorm to leave Harry and Ginny to part ways in private.

Hermione entered her room and felt immediate relief at seeing 2 of her 4 former roommates, Lavender and Parvati. Taking note that Fay Dunbar and her friend, Sarah were no longer with them.

Though she was happy to see her friends he also noticed how the war had changed them. Parvati had a long scar running down the side of her right cheek to her mid-throat and she didn't seem quite as bubbly. And Lavender... Her appearance truly reminded Hermione that not everything would be the same. Her already bushy cappuccino-colored curls looked harder to tame, her eyes held golden specs of color in them, and her overall stance just looked more feral. Hermione's first thought was that more than one werewolf would be in the Shrieking Shack this year. She was about to step forward and claim a bed when she was rudely shoved in by Pansy Parkinson and her friend Crystal Baggs, claiming that she was in their way. The three confused Gryffindors looked at the two disgusted Slytherins, trying to understand the situation.

'Surely the Headmistress wasn't mixing houses in rooms,' they all thought.

Every girl pulled out their admittance letters and checked their room assignment, and they all read Floor 3 Room 6.

With much trepidation the 5 girls each chose a bed and began unpacking with very little talking. Around 7:30 the girls made their way to the Great Hall to eat in their respective cliques.

Upon entrance Hermione first noticed that the Hall and all the tables seemed longer, but she brushed that off to obvious reasons. She caught Remus' eye and waved, while making her way to her friends at the Gryffindor table.

"I just don't know what to think," Harry sighed, "I don't think it's a trick, though, Ron."

"Maybe they really have changed. I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt," Ginny offered her thoughts on the subject.

"What's the topic?" Hermione asked, sitting across from everyone.

"How the Malfoy's have obviously tricked McGonagall!" Ron spat, obviously angered by the subject.

"Stop it, Ron," Harry gave him a warning look, "I agree with Ginny. Draco is our new roommate and he want to apologize to all of us for how he and his family have acted."

Hermione almost choked on the plate of food she had dug into, "what?!"

"Yeah, his father talked his way out of Azkaban and into a job here as Potions Professor and I know he put it in McGonagall's head to combine houses. It's the Imperius Curse or something!" Ron raised his voice, shooting a nasty look toward the senior Malfoy, who Hermione had failed to notice at the teacher's table.

Ginny kicked her brother under the table, "stop it, Ron, you're acting ridiculous. Maybe they really have changed. Just try talking to him; you'll see the real difference there. "

Hermione had instantly lost her appetite and proceeded to push her plate away, "I'm going to the library."

Everyone murmured their goodbyes as Hermione left and headed for the Grand Staircase, lost in thought. One thing her friends never talked about was when they were caught in the woods and taken to Malfoy Manor. When Bellatrix LeStrange turned her hand on the young witch and tortured her. And Lucius Malfoy to the side, making snide remarks of "knowing other ways to break her" and how he would request the Dark Lord let him keep her as a house elf for his family to do with as they see fit. Hermione was too scared to comprehend what he meant then, but as time passed she knew...

Unknown to our bright girl that man's son, a fellow Eighth Year with equally sharp and pale features as his father, Draco Malfoy was waiting in an empty classroom three doors down.

He heard the familiar sound of footsteps nearing his location, but it was her scent that let him know it was the one he was waiting for. When she had just passed the door he quickly swung out with the door and clapped a hand on her shoulder, causing Hermione to yelp in surprise.

"Sorry Grang-Hermione, I didn't mean to startle you," he quickly removed his hand knowing it wasn't welcome.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked, taking a surprised notice at how he used her first name for the first time he could remember.

"C-can I talk to you? In here?" he asked, his eyes shifting suspiciously.

"No, if you want to talk to me you can do it out here, in public," he said carefully, her thoughts from before still lingering and remembering that Draco was in the room that night, too.

"Look, it's really personal and I don't want a lot of people to know. Please, can we just go in there?" his eyes pleading.

That's when Hermione noticed his shifty eyes were more from nerves than suspicious activity. Though, still not completely comfortable with the idea she tried to compromise, "you can tell me in the common room or in a teacher's office with said teacher present."

"My fa-"he started.

To which Hermione promptly interrupted, "not including your father."

Draco, slightly annoyed, but still trying to be understanding, "okay, Lupin. I'll collect my father and meet you in Lupin's office?"

Hermione was a little confused, but still internally grateful that he chose the teacher she was closest too, and briefly wondered if he knew that fact. Besides that, she hadn't had a chance to go see Remus properly since she returned to the school. She nodded in compliance and Draco quickly turned to walk away. Hermione watched him go and noticed his once arrogant stride now looked more hunched and stalk-like. But she waved it off and returned to the Great Hall behind Draco to collect her at-home housemate.

"Hello Re-Professor Lupin," she smiled as she approached the Head Table.

"Hello Miss Granger, how may I help you?" he asked with a warm smile.

Hermione's eyes flickered to the other side of the table where Draco was talking closely to his father, "I have an odd request," she started, tearing her eye from the other two men as Lucius turned his eyes her way, "a student I'm uncomfortable with asked to speak to me in private."

"Yes," he encouraged her, glancing at the Malfoy men himself before returning his blue eyes to his friend and student with concern.

"And would you mind sitting in your office with us while we talk? I'm unsure why, but he's bringing his father," she finished her request.

"Well of course, right now?" he placed his knife and fork on his plate and looked at the two men on the other side of the table. Lucius stood and Remus followed.

Draco silently thanked the Gods that dinner was almost over so the Great Hall was nearly empty and everyone left was too preoccupied with their dinner to notice this strange assortment of people leaving almost as a group.

When the four of them had settled down into Professor Lupin's office; the Malfoy men on a quaint rich brown loveseat while Remus and Hermione took the matching chairs across from them, silence filled the air.

Remus stepped up to the plate, "well I personally feel the least knowledgeable of the situation. But it is, to my understanding, that Draco," he addressed the younger Malfoy," you had something you wanted say to Miss Granger?"

Draco looked from his hands, to Lupin, then Hermione, his father, and back down to his hands, "Um… I- I," he looked at his father again, then back to his hands. "I-I can't.."

And he broke.

Hermione watched as the Slytherin King himself, Draco Malfoy, broke down into the most true and sorrowful sob she had ever witnessed. And from a boy who had always prided himself on his arrogance, and money, and blood status. It was truly a revelation.

Lucius immediately pulled his son into his chest and began stroking his son's hair, whispering that everything would be okay.

"Maybe it's best you show them. It's okay," he coaxed Draco from his frame.

Hermione looked at Remus confused and blushing as Draco pulled his shirt off, over his head, and held it protectively to his chest. Upon looking Hermione could still see the scars from Harry's "Sectum Sempra" spell from 6th year. She winced, but he turned so the view was hidden. But what replaced it was worse. Long claw marks stretched from his side to mid-back and a large snout-shaped bite mark ran from his from his shoulder blade up and over his left shoulder. Hermione and Remus both audibly gaped, immediately recognizing the werewolf bite. Remus stood and moved closer, "May I?" he asked Draco, motioning to his shoulder.

Draco nodded and Remus began to inspect the bite marks closer.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

"Greyback," he replied, his tone hollow and mournful.

"It was my fault," Lucius spoke up from his seat, his eyes cast down to the floor, "he bit Draco because of me. It was to humiliate me. Because I treated him as an inferior. But he didn't humiliate me. I love my son all the same. But Remus, I know you will know what to do."

Hermione at in her chair, jaw open and just trying to process all of this information. Remus immediately took hold of the scene with an authoritative tone to look like he knew the solution. Maybe this would help their optimism of the situation too, to know he has a plan.

"Lucius, since you are the Potions Master I'm going to teach you the Wolfsbane Potion. Until then, I will continue to make it. Draco," his tone grew softer and slightly more understanding than demanding, "I have a secret passage from Hogwarts to the Shrieking Shack, that is where I go when I transform. You will accompany me there every full moon. Is this understood by you both?"

They nodded with small smiles on their sharp faces.

"Thank you, Remus. The whole situation is really what made us look at our decisions," he curtly nodded and ushered a now fully-clothed Draco to the door.

"Hey Draco!" Hermione called, finally finding her voice and ability to move, she sprung for the closing door.

"Yes?" he asked, waiting on the other side.

She looked at Lucius and almost lost her nerve. A stream of memories flooded her thoughts. Terrified, she tried desperately to push them back, and she succeeded, "why were you going to tell me?"

"Because I knew you would understand. You care about creatures and beasts, like myself, no matter how terrifying. And I knew you would have the plan. But I also wanted to apologize for calling you a Mudblood, and treating you like I did. I hope you can forgive me in time," he finished.

"Forgive all of us," Lucius eyed her knowingly.

This made Hermione's mind blank and she nodded once before slinking back into her friend and Professor's office.


	6. Hiatus Update

I'm very sorry everyone, but I have a lot going on and I haven't found any time to focus on this story as of late. Although, this story had not met it's end! It is only taking a break to recharge my inspiration! I will do my best to post a new chapter by mid-June.  
My deepest apologies.

~Sincerely, Sophie


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